All is lost! In their attempt to locate Khristoff, the Prophet and leader of a dangerous anti-Force-user cult known as "the Found", the stalwart crew of the starship Millennial has found the Prophet's right-hand-man, Pauel, slain--possibly at the hands of one of his interrogators...

Now, with their only option being to follow two Republic fugitives who are most likely in league with Khristoff and the Found, the people aboard the Millennial, including Jedi Knight PERDANTE DAREVA, Captain FARA STARR, and two Republic officers, will find their strength and loyalty tested to the ultimate degree.

Will it be "check and mate" for Khristoff and his cult, or for the Millennial?...

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PERDANTE DAREVA, Jedi Knight, held her sweat-soaked head in her hands. She could not believe what had just happened. Pauel, the so-called Apostle of the Found and their only lead toward finding his master, Khristoff, was dead. Dead! Not one trace of him remained, either in this mortal world or in the Force. After all, Pauel and his cult, the Found, were adamantly against anyone who used it--for good or ill. Both Jedi and Sith had been targets of the sinister sect and its followers. Now, he's been slain, and not by one of the cult members, either... As far as she herself knew, Pauel had been captured and taken aboard their starship, the Millennial, for questioning. His interrogator had been one Mica Caraway, officer of the Republic. Pauel had collapsed and perished, according to Mica, before debriefing could begin.

Do I believe him? Part of me certainly does, because the ostanovium metal contaminating Pauel's blood and body could have finally poisoned him to death. However, there is another part of me that says...says...

She couldn't bring herself to admit what that other part of herself was telling her. Perdante raised her liquid blue eyes up to perceive the Millennial's mess hall through a haze of tears. She didn't want Captain Starr, the Caraway brothers, or anyone else aboard the ship to find her weeping.

There is no emotion; there is peace. Such was one of the tenets of the Jedi Code. Knights such as she were not to weep, or laugh, or hate, or love. Not that Jedi were to become automatons, or seek to do so. Rather, they were to control and suppress their emotions so as not to have them take control during the heat of battle, or during any other moment when following one's emotions could lead to folly and suffering. This Perdante believed, and tried to obey. However, she could not stop her sorrow from flooding her...

Against all of her better judgment, the Knight began to sing softly in her native tongue. Her sweet voice was barely above a whisper, quavering:

"Ya ne mogu verit' etava. Vsye poteryav', -yav', -yav'"...

In Basic, this meant, "I cannot believe this. All is lost, lost, lost..."

Her own voice was lost for a moment, and then she took up the refrain again.